Surf club hit with $2500 rental fees

A STOUSH has boiled over between the Devonport Surf Lifesaving Club and Devonport City Council in relation to $50 a week rent for the club's upper deck function room at the Bluff.

An upset surf club member in the public gallery at Monday night's council meeting shouted at Alderman Graham Kent: "That's not correct get your facts right'', as the deputy mayor described the surf club as "a sporting club like others''.

Later in the meeting Mayor Steve Martin said the club's solicitor had informed the council it was classified as a charitable organisation and is reliant on fundraising.

He said no other surf club in the state is charged rent.

The council wants the surf lifesaving club to pay $2500 on a function room the council built as part of the $4 million Bluff redevelopment.

Club president Michael Stolp said his members left the council meeting more disappointed by council's attitude to the club than the money.

"We are disappointed because we wanted a better understanding of what we do and their perception is not accurate - that's more disappointing then the money,'' Mr Stolp said.

"The function room is also a club training and education centre - and all surf clubs have function rooms they can hire out. Ours doesn't have a kitchen it has an oven and when the council looked at the club's financials it was from two years ago but the honeymoon period is over since a restaurant opened next door. Now we're not getting the income we used to get''.

He said the surf club is run by volunteers and lifesavers were on call 24/7 and often perform rescues out of hours.

"We don't just come down to have some fun in the surf,'' Mr Stolp said.

He said it was disappointing to hear aldermen criticise club members for not contacting them when the club had asked numerous times to sit down with aldermen.

Alderman Kent told the council meeting charging $2500 for the function room is "fair and equitable.''

Alderman Annette Rockliff said the club is asked to pay a token amount compared to the cost to ratepayers and no rent was charged for the downstairs club area where rescue equipment is kept.

Alderman Allison Jarman said the surf club is being provided with "a wonderful function room with the opportunity to gain revenue from it''.

Alderman Justine Keay said no other club had free use of a facility to generate revenue.

Alderman Leon Perry blamed the situation on an "ambiguous'' undertaking from a council officer no longer at the council to the surf club that it would be charged a peppercorn rent.

Alderman Perry suggested the surf club pay the $2500 and the council also pay the club an amount for its services.

Alderman Martin spoke against the rent.

"In past years the council paid the surf club $7000 a year and now the club is $7000 worse off and has a new building with increased utilities,'' he said.

The council voted in favour of charging $2500 rent for the upstairs function centre. The surf club met last night to discuss it.